Rim Fire Near Yosemite Grows; Highway Closed, Evacuations Ordered

An image of the Rim Fire from the cockpit of a Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System-equipped (MAFFS) C-130 Hercules assigned to the Channel Islands Air National Guard station. (CalFire)

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK (KCBS) – A huge wildfire near Yosemite National Park has grown to more than 15 square miles, destroyed at least two home and was threatening 2,500 structures north of Highway 120, according to U.S. Forest Service.

The Rim Fire has forced the shutdown of the highway which serves as the main access to the west side of the park and prompted a number of evacuations.

Highway 120 remained closed on Tuesday from Smith Station to the west, and four miles east of Buck Meadows because of the massive blaze that broke out Saturday.